Tag Archives: Short sale

Starting August 16 2014, if you short sold you home over 2 years ago and saved for a 20% down payment you would now have to wait 4 years instead of 2!

You can still get it done now if you act fast! If your application date and underwriting is done prior to August 16th 2014, the loan may still close after August 16th, 2014 , as long as 2 years has passed and the loan either receives an Approve/Eligible or the loan qualifies for manual underwriting guidelines. Not all lenders can do this. Call us for a lender that can get this done for you now while you still have a chance.

Please note, Fannie Mae does approve extenuating circumstances for a 2 year repurchase. Call now to see if you still qualify for a 2 year purchase after a short sale.

If you are planning on doing a short sale in the near future and have a real hardship, keep records of your hardship, so when you plan to buy again, you can demonstrate your hardship for a 2 year repurchase.

Current Guidelines for Eligibility after a short sale for FHA is 3 years, VA is 2 years, and USDA is 3 years.

Call the Kathy Dyer Monterey Peninsula Short Sale Specialist to help you find your home now.

Up to $5,000 plus more for Transition Assistance for Short Sales

If you know someone who can no longer afford their home and they are pursuing a short sale or a deed in lieu of foreclosure, they may be eligible for financial help with their moving expenses.

The money comes from the Transition Assistance Program (TAP), part of the Keep Your Home California Program.

5,000 in transition assistance is being provided by The state of California to qualified homeowners who can no longer afford to stay in their homes.

Apply for the funds through their state’s website or by calling 1.888.954.5337.

Continue to maintain your property until your house has sold or a negotiated deed in lieu of foreclosure.

For qualified homeowners, these state funds may be used in addition to any other transition assistance that the homeowner may receive by participating in the Federal Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternatives (HAFA) program or in any other pre-offer short sale program.

Once you know that you qualify for TAP, make sure you call a Realtor who is a Short Sale Specialist. They will know if you qualify for any more programs your lender may approve. Don’t waste time and call now or before the TAP money is paid out.

Are you having a hard time making your loan payment? Are you hearing about all those loan modification programs on the radio and TV and do not know who to trust?

Afraid of Fraud? Did you know that there is free counseling that is available to you through government programs?

You may not be alone- one out of every 10 families who are just like you who have either missed one or more of their mortgage payments and still desperately want to keep their personal residence. If you can no longer afford to make your monthly loan payments, you may qualify for a new government loan modification program called HAMP.

Am I eligible for a Home Affordable Modification? Answer these questions:

Is your home your primary residence?

Is the amount you owe on your first mortgage equal to or less than $729,750?

Are you having trouble paying your mortgage?For example, have you had a significant increase in your mortgage payment OR reduction in your income since you got your current loan OR have you suffered a hardship that has increased your expenses (like medical bills)?

Did you get your current mortgage before January 1, 2009?

Is your payment on your first mortgage (including principal, interest, taxes, insurance and homeowner’s association dues, if applicable) more than 31% of your current gross income?

If you answered yes to these questions- you may qualify for a loan affordable modification Click here to view the government loan modification survey. Fill it out and see if you qualify.

If you do not qualify for a loan mod, you may want to see if you qualify for the government HAFA short sale program and the 3,000 moving expenses if you complete a short sale.

Kathy Dyer wants you to keep your home. Call her for any questions and we will direct you to people who can help. If you can not get a loan modification, call us to see if a short sale if right for you.

As more homeowners find themselves underwater — owing more on their mortgage than their home is currently worth — and unable to make the monthly mortgage payments, many are turning to short sales, which allows a homeowner to sell their home for less than owed on the mortgage. With the lender’s approval, home buyers can purchase properties in desirable neighborhoods and at favorable prices.

KEEP THIS IN MIND

• As of July 2014, the percent of Roseville homeowners underwater on their mortgage is 14.5%, which is lower than Sacramento Metro at 20.0%.

• Unlike foreclosed properties, which may be run-down and vacant for many months, short-sell properties are likely to be better maintained as many owners may still live in the home.

• In a short sale, the homeowner must receive approval from the lender before the sale of the property can proceed. With many lenders overwhelmed by short-sale transactions, it can take between two and six months to execute.

• Working with a REALTOR® who has experience with short sales can help both sellers and home buyers during the transaction. A seasoned REALTOR® in Short Sales will be able to serve as the mediator between the seller and the lender and lead to a successful transaction, while a buyer’s agent can help with offers, counter offers, home inspections, closing, and more. Make sure you work with a Realtor that knows how to qualify what properties to make offers on. Some properties will never get closed. It depends on many factors:

1. How many loans are on the property?

2. How far away is the foreclosure sale date?

3. Who the loan is serviced by?

4. Who the investor is that owns the mortgage.

5. If the seller qualifies for a short sale.

An experienced Realtor will know which properties you should make offers on and which ones that are a waste of time.

• It is important to remember that although the seller may be anxious about selling the property and willing to accept any offer, it is ultimately up to the lender to determine if, and at what price, the property can be sold. Therefore, home buyers should work closely with their REALTOR® to submit a realistic offer.

• Buyers should ask the lender to pay for some of the closing costs as part of the contract. The contract also should specify that the buyer will not conduct an appraisal or inspection of the property until the offer is approved. This added guarantee can protect home buyers from spending money on a home they may not purchase.

The Federal Reserve recently announced it will seek to renegotiate mortgages it owns that might otherwise enter foreclosure, according to Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke. Under the program, the Fed could reduce what a homeowner owes on a mortgage; lower the interest rate; lengthen the term of a loan; or take other steps to prevent a loan from defaulting.

The Federal Reserve’s program will focus on reducing the amount of principal owed by those at risk of foreclosure, especially those with loan balances exceeding 125 percent of the estimated value of their property. It is unclear how many homeowners could benefit from the program, and most individual borrowers will likely not know if their mortgages are owned by the Federal Reserve. If eligible for a loan modification, the homeowner would work with mortgage servicer and not the government directly.

For any questions concerning your real estate situations feel free to give us a call and we can put you in touch with professionals to help you through this tough time. Kathy Dyer 831-717-7047

What to do if your can’t afford your mortgage payment?

The majority of the mortgage modification programs from the larger lenders only are available to homeowners who either already are in default or are at risk of defaulting on their primary residences. However, some homeowners, in particular those who may default on a vacation home or an investment property, have some options available.

Homeowners who are in default or at-risk of defaulting should contact a reputable credit counseling agency to discuss possible options other than foreclosure. When calling a credit counseling agency, the homeowner should have their loan number, most recent mortgage statement, bank statements and a letter demonstrating financial hardship. To find a credit counselor, visit the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Web site at: http://www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/sfh/hcc/hcs.cfm?webListAction=search&searchstate=CA or the non-profit organization National Foundation for Credit Counseling at http://www.nfcc.org/.

Homeowners should contact their loan servicer as soon as possible to try to work out potential solutions. According to the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), some borrowers who do not meet the requirements for an existing mortgage modification program may still be considered for a loan adjustment based on personal circumstances.

If a mortgage modification is not possible, homeowners may want to consider a short sale — sell the home for less than the amount of the mortgage. Although a short sale enables a homeowner to avoid foreclosure and often causes less damage to the homeowner’s credit score than a foreclosure, the lender must agree to accept the loss and in most cases the homeowner may not have to pay taxes on the difference. Also, many lenders are overwhelmed by the large number of short sales being submitted by homeowners, so it could take longer than usual to receive a short-sale acceptance from the lender. The home owner can stay in their home while the approval takes place. Sometimes home owners may qualify for moving assistance from 3,000 – 5,000.

If a homeowner cannot qualify for a mortgage modification or a short sale, some lenders will consider a deed in lieu of foreclosure, where the homeowner transfers the title to the lender in exchange for debt forgiveness. Home owners may qualify for Cash for Keys programs as well. Properties that have additional debt, such as home equity lines of credit or additional mortgages, may not qualify for a deed in lieu of foreclosure. Homeowners who have additional debt tied to the property must share this information with their lender for consideration when applying for a short sale.

Call an experienced Short Sale Realtor who is not only certified but has good results closing short sales.